The American Medical Association approved of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia's ruling on the proposed Anthem-Cigna merger.
Here are four notes:
1. The appeals court upheld a lower court ruling blocking the proposed merger.
2. The Anthem-Cigna merger would have been a $54 billion deal.
3. The AMA argues the merger would disadvantage patients because it would likely lead to higher premiums and destroy competition in the marketplace. Additionally, the merger would decrease the total number of national carriers to three.
4. The AMA along with 17 state medical societies campaigned to halt the merger, proposed in 2015.
"The appellate court sent a clear message to the health insurance industry: a merger that smothers competition and choice, raises premiums and reduces quality and innovation is inherently harmful to patients and physicians," said Andrew W. Gurman, MD, AMA president.